After the apostle John saw the vision of the church, he saw the scene in the heavens. The first thing he saw was the throne as the center of the universe (4:2). He saw the throne in heaven, and upon the throne God was sitting and administrating the whole universe. The throne of God is the center of the universe; everything that happens in the universe begins at the throne. In John’s vision, out of the throne came forth lightnings and thunders (v. 5). This shows that everything that happens in the universe is governed by the throne. There were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. When a car is running at night, it requires two headlights, and the two headlights are like the two eyes of the car. Similarly, at the center of the universe, the throne of God, there are seven lamps of fire. God is Spirit, and the seven lamps of fire that come out of the throne of God are the seven Spirits of God.
Upon reading this portion of the Word, some people may ask, “Does God have seven Spirits? God is the Triune God. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one God. God is one, and He is Spirit, so the Spirit is also one. Since this is the case, why then does Revelation speak of the seven Spirits of God?” Revelation speaks of the seven Spirits of God because there are seven lamps of fire shining before the throne, and the lamps are the Spirit, so these seven lamps of fire are the seven Spirits of God. Hebrews 12:29 says that our God is a consuming fire. On the one hand, God is Spirit, and on the other hand, God is a consuming fire. The Spirit can be likened to electricity. Like electricity is expressed in a lamp, the Spirit shines through each lamp as fire. Hence, these lamps are lamps of fire. The Bible says that God is Spirit and also that God is a consuming fire. God’s shining forth is a lamp of fire, and this lamp of fire is His Spirit. This picture in Revelation shows us that the God who is Spirit is also the God of consuming fire and that when this God comes forth in His Spirit, He is a lamp of fire shining upon man and the universe. When the seven lamps of fire before the throne of God eventually shine upon the entire universe, the darkness in the universe will vanish.
Revelation 4 reveals that since God is a consuming fire, His shining forth is like a lamp. In chapter five there is a Lamb before the throne of God, and this Lamb has seven eyes. Verse 6 includes the statement, “Seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God.” The seven eyes of the Lamb are the seven Spirits of God. This means that God in the Lamb comes forth through the Spirit. First, we see the throne and the coming forth of God Himself as the Spirit, who is a consuming fire and lamps of fire. This is the first picture. Then we see that between God and the seven lamps of fire stands a Lamb who has seven eyes and that these seven eyes are the seven lamps of fire, the seven Spirits. Revelation 4 and 5 mention three “sevens.” Chapter five mentions that the seven eyes of the Lamb are the seven Spirits of God, and chapter four says that the seven lamps of fire are also the seven Spirits of God. Together these two chapters mention the seven lamps of fire, the seven eyes, and the seven Spirits. The seven lamps in chapter four are the seven Spirits, and the seven eyes in chapter five are also the seven Spirits. Hence, the seven lamps in chapter four are the seven eyes in chapter five. The seven lamps before the throne are the seven eyes of the Lamb. The two are one. Both are the seven Spirits of God.
When we read Revelation, we cannot read it literally; rather, we have to read it like we would a poetic, idyllic painting. Revelation 4 shows us a picture of the throne. Out of the throne come forth the seven lamps of fire, the seven Spirits of God. Then in chapter five, we see that in the midst of the throne there is “a Lamb standing as having just been slain” (v. 6). As having just been slain refers to death, and standing refers to resurrection. The fact that the Lamb who is described as having just been slain is standing in the midst of the throne shows us that although He had just been slain, He also had been resurrected. The Lamb also has seven eyes, and these seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God. Thus, we can see that the seven lamps are the seven eyes of the Lamb. This indicates that when God shines Himself forth, He is seven lamps of fire and that when Christ diffuses the shining forth of God, He is the seven eyes of the Lamb. We also see that these seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God.